Ms Virginia Teehan:

The post offices are owned privately. They are owned by private individuals, who get a licence from An Post to operate post offices. I understand that is how they are owned, certainly the smaller ones. I am not sure if the larger ones, for example, in urban centres, such as the big general post offices, may be in a different category. I do not know the detail. We are not in any direct engagement with An Post but we have had preliminary correspondence and discussion with the banks, because this is another issue. Banks are also very fine, significant buildings, especially in country towns. Frequently, they represent the best of the craft and skill of the locality, for instance, the good limestone or granite, depending on where you are from. You will meet people whose fathers cut the stones or were involved on the site in designing them. We would like to see, at least, as Deputy O'Donoghue was talking about, that both the architectural heritage and the local history of these buildings are protected as they transition into new use. We would like to support the banks in having that dialogue. It is an issue when organisations transition into new phases of their world. Bord na Móna is another organisation that is transitioning and the Just Transition Fund is looking at the heritage of the boglands in the centre of Ireland. We are very supportive of those organisations, as appropriate and as they invite us to work with them.